Directions

For the brine and pork: Bring 12 cups water, the salt, brown sugar, thyme, allspice, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon sticks, ginger, bay leaves, garlic and onions to a simmer in a large stockpot and cook until the sugar and salt is dissolved. Let cool completely.

Submerge the pork in the brine by placing a plate on top, cover with plastic and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours.

Remove the pork from the brine, rinse well with cold water and pat dry. Place on a rack set over a baking sheet in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.

Prepare the ceramic cooker: Add the hot charcoal to the cooker, and put on the grill rack. When the grill rack is hot, put on the pork fat-side down and cook until slightly charred. Now remove the pork and the grill rack, scatter the soaked wood chips over the hot charcoal, put on the ceramic plate and the grill rack and return the pork to the grill rack seared-side up. Close the cooker and adjust it to maintain a temperature of 325 degrees F. Cook the pork until a meat thermometer registers 140 degrees F, 75 to 90 minutes. Rest 10 minutes before carving into chops.